Foldable mat with disengageable indicia



March 3, 1959 L. H. LEFCOURT 2,875,541

FOLDABLE MAT WITH DISENGAGEABLE INDICIA Filed May 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 no.1 m2 FIG.3

I /A w H I "'J 16 /3o 2o INVENTOR.

LEONARD H. LEFCOURI ATTORNEY Maid! 1959 L. LEFCOURT 2,875,541

FOLDABLE MAT WITH DISENGAGEABLE INDICIA Filed May 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEONARD H. LEFCOUR-T ATTORNEY i 2,875,541 Patented Mar. 3, 1959 This invention relates tofoldable mats of the type formed of pivotally interconnected links of rubber or other material of like nature and, more particularly, to a novel linkformation facilitating the interchangeable application of cooperable lettering thereto. a t Mats of this type are used in entrances, building lobbies, doorways and similar locations, and are made United StatesPatent Ofiice readily foldable to facilitate their being rolled" into a compact bundle for uncovering a floor for cleaning purposes, etc. In many instances, such mats have lettering applied thereto to designate building names or numbers, company names, and other information, such lettering usually being permanently applied thereto as by painting, the use of molded inserts, etc.

The permanent application of lettering to the mats has disadvantages; suchjas fcracking of paint during rolling and unrolling of the mat,diificulties and expense involved in changing the lettering, and wearing away of the lettermg. a a i a The mats usually comprise elongated relatively narrow links of rubber or equivalent material, with the links beingconnected intochains. by rods or pins extending through aligned holes in the ends of. adjacent links. The mats may have various widths, and generally are severallinks wide with larger mats being formed by laying narrow mats alongside each other. a

\In accordance with the present invention, the links are formed by extrusion of natural or artificial rubber, or suitable plastic composition material, with the upper surfaces of the links having regularly spaced transverse ribs with enlarged outer edges or heads. The links also have uniformly spaced transverse openings therethrough to receive wires for connecting the links into chains, the wires being U shape for insertion through adjacent rows of aligned apertures. The bight of each wire engages one side of the mat and the wire ends at the other side are bent toward each other to lock the assembly.

The letters are likewise extruded from a plastic material to have transverse, parallel grooves'on their undersurfacesshaped to interlock with the; ribs onthe links, the letters being removably snapped over the headed ribs to position the letters on the mat. When a mat is to be rolled up, the lettering may be readily removed, if desired, and can be readily interchanged with other lettering for replacement or change of information provided by the lettering.

For an understanding of the invention principles, ref- 2 character designed for interchangeable securement to the links; and

Fig. Sis a part side elevation view and part sectional view of a mat link with lettering applied thereto.

Referring to Fig. 1, a mat 10 embodying the invention is illustrated as comprising a chain including short links 20 and long links 30, with letters or other indicia 40 detachably secured to the upper surfaces of the links.

The links and letters are extruded from rubber or synthetic plastic material as described more fully hereinafter in connection with Figs. 4 through 8. I

The short links 20 are provided with transverse holes adjacent each end, as are the long links 30, and the long links 30 have two additional transverse holes intermediate their ends. The longitudinal spacings between the holes in the short and long links are equal, as are the longitudinal distances of the end holes of the short and long links from the link ends.

The links 20 and 30 are assembled to form a chain type of mat by the use of U-shape rods or wires 15, the distance between the legs 16 of the wires being equal to the longitudinal spacing of the holes. Before assembly of the mat, a sleeve 17 is slipped over the bight of the Wire or rod and the legs 16 are inserted through aligned holes in parallel links. The projecting ends of the wires on the other side of the mat are then bent toward each other and a channel shape sleeve 18 is slipped over the ends and closed thereon. This joins the links in a chain link type mat structure which may be readily rolled up" about the legs 16 as pivots.

In the mat 10 of Fig. 2, the main sections are formed of longlinks 30 and these sections are interconnected by short links 20. A further variant of the mat is shown in Fig. 3, in which mat 10' comprises alternate pairs of longitudinally adjacent sections of long links 30 and intermediate pairs of sections of short links 20, the sections being interconnected by other short links 20.

Referring to Fig. 4, short links 20 are formed by extruding natural or artificial rubber, synthetic plastic, or the like to form the configuration illustrated. As shown, link 20 has an undersurface characterizedby relatively wide bearing portions 21 aligned beneath transverse holes 22. Intermediate portions 21, the undersurface has spaced ridges 23, the outer edges of surfaces 21 and ridges 23 lying in a common plane.

The upper surface of the link is characterized by truncated triangular shaped" ribs24 aligned with holes 22 and extending from thickened sections 26 above the holesintermediate holes 22, the upper surface 27 has projecting therefrom ribs 25 having enlarged, truncated triangular shaped heads 28, these ribs 25 being longitudinally spaced at equal distances from each other and from ribs 24.

A special shape of short link 20 is illustrated in Fig. 5. Link 20 differs from link 20 only in that it has a sloping or ramp section 29 at one end. The links 20 are used at the ends of mats 10 to prevent tripping of persons using the mats.

i As shown in Fig. 6, long links 30 are essentially multiples of short links 20, having four or more transverse holes 31 spaced longitudinally the same distance as holes 21 of links 20. The links 30 have bearing portions 32 under each hole 31, with ridges 33 between the portions 32. On its upper surface, link 30 has truncated triangular ribs 34 projecting from thickened sections 36 above each hole 31. Intermediate ribs 34 are ribs 35 having heads 36 and shaped the same as ribs 25. It will be noted that, at each end of link 30, thickened section 36 extends 40 is shown in Fig. 7, the disengageable assembly of element 40 to a long link 30 being illustrated in Fig. 8. As shown, the upper surface of element 40 has sloping gageable with a rib 25 adjacent portions 36.

When indicia-element .40 is snapped onto a mat 10, the sockets 45 46' snap over the ribs 25'-26 or 35-36. Sockets 44 receive ribs 34, if on a long link 30, or are midway between longitudinally adjacent short links, 20

or 2. short link connected'to a long link. When sockets 44 receive a rib 34 on a long link; surfaces 47' engage thickened sections 36 with sockets 49 snapping over ribs 35'36 on either side of the thickened portion. Surfaces 47,, in any event, engage link surfaces 27 or 37.

The indicia element 40 may be readily stripped'from the'mat for cleaning or replacement. These elements may be the same color as the links or may be a contrasting color.

In assembling the mats the'links'20, 20, or 363 are interconnected by wires 15, as previously described. Spacers 19 maybe used between laterally adjacent long links 30,, as shown in Figpl. The number of laterally adjacent rows of links may be-as desired, but generally it'is preferred to form long narrow mat sections and arrange these'side' by side to form a wider mat of the same length. The indicia elements 40'are snapped into position on each-mat section in proper correlation with the indicia on other mat sections to form the desired wording.

The links 20, 20, and 30, and indicia elements 40 are formed by extruding natural or artificial rubber or synthetic resinous material. The long ribbon of the link extrusions is severed laterally to form the individual links. The extruded ribbon for indicia 40 is die cut or otherwise treated to form the desired individual letters, figures, or other indicia.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shownand described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 7.

What is claimed is:

1. A chain type mat comprising, in combination, a plurality of pivotally interconnected relatively elongated links; indicia overlying at least" a portion of said mat; correspondingly located relatively elongated interlock elements extending transversely of the upper surfaceof each link; and interlock means extending transversely of the undersurface: of the indicia: correspondingly located for disengageable interlocking with said interlock elements; whereby the 'indicia'may be selectively secured to or disengaged from said mat; said elements comprising headed projections extending transversely of the upper surfaces of the links and said interlock means comprising internally enlarged recesses extending transversely of the underside of saidindicia; said links: being. formed with transverse holes. uniformly spacedlongitudinally thereof to receive elongated pivots. interconnecting adjacent links; said elements. comprising ribslextending transversely of each link and uniformly spacedllongitudinally thereof; a headlessrib being alignedwith each hole; and said. interlock means comprising grooves. extending transversely oftheindicia and uniformly. spaced longitudinally thereof;,.the grooves aligned with theheadl'essribsv being straight. sided; and the interengaged headlessjribsv and straight sided grooves facilitating bending ofthe mat at the pivots. I

2. A vmat as claimed in claim 1 in which the heads of the ribs and' the internal enlargements ofith eigrooves have a truncated triangular cross section.

References Cited in the file of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Italy June 9; 1934 

